New boy medical examination Post Reply

[Scottov]

As has already been posted, this is an entirely normal procedure, and as someone who had testicular cancer as a teenager i can't emphasise enough how important it is that our boys have their testicles checked as they reach puberty and beyond - i wish to god i had!

To the initial poster, i would say that if you're worried then either ask if you could be present or arrange for a chaperone to be. And to the second and third posters on this thread (who i suspect are the same person), i'd love to know exactly what your involvement in child protection is and why you'd respond to this standard procedure in such an alarmist way.

There is no way either of these people/person works in any way with child protection.

One of them (assuming they are not the same person) even recommended having the OP's mum contact the LADO to remain anonymous.

Anyone who thinks there is a need to remain anonymous to the LADO (presumably because they are all in it together in one big conspiracy) is a fantasist and not someone who works in child protection.

[Clare_f]

A friend of mine went to the boarding school where his father was the school doctor. It was a standing joke that his dad had held the testicles of every boy in the school. He's not a paedophile, he's a doctor doing his job.

Certainly, when I was at school, these exams were a normal part of an examination. To me, the issue is with the lack of detail regarding the exam that was given to you.

I'm sure there would have been a chaperone, I'd check this with the school.

And petal - the child in question is 13. Not an ickle baby. For the vast majority of secondary children, they thrive at boarding schools. It's not right for everyone but what school is?

[LP73]

For me the issue is the lack of notification to the parent rather than the issue of having a medical examination. Agree with the GP comment.
Could you imagine picking your child up from state school one day and hear that there had been a genital examination without you hearing about it?

To the OP:
Given your feelings regarding the examination behind closed doors, are you sure that you want to send your child away full stop?
I mean, forget the examination, you will be sending your child away "behind closed doors" for years!
I personally would never do this, it goes against all my parental instincts.
However you dress is up, however fancy the school is, it's an institution.
People are willingly taking their children from a family setting to an institution.
I've seen grown men still affected by this separation, it's not a joke.
To me the whole concept of boarding school is outdated and from an era when parents were not as hands on and not even that affectionate towards children in general.
Why would a modern day parent opt for this?
I want to see my children EVERY DAY, I want to see their faces, kiss them goodnight, give them a cuddle, laugh with them, talk to them when they are upset, why would you deny yourself and the children this?
Children belong in a family setting.
Education cannot be more important than family.
I just look back at how I was at that young age, I cannot think of anything more daunting or horrific than my parents sending me off to a boarding school.

This is how I see it. And just wonder if it's a good idea for someone who is not happy to hand over control of your child to a school. This is what you are doing by sending them off. For me it's bad enough that "normal" school get to tell you when to go on holiday.

Petal that is your opinion and some reading may say that you're a clingy mother for your words. I don't think the OP has asked for your opinion or thoughts on schooling. I'm really confused as to why you think that you have to comment on the boarding side of things. I think it's best to have an open mind as to all different types of schooling. Each child is different with some thriving at a boarding school and some more suited to being home each night. A parent will know be able to be decide what is best for their child. Perhaps a case of think before you write?!!

[kev999]

Yes you should object strongly. A qualified GP has now seen your son naked. How terrible. Also tell the school you don't want your son to have showers, share a washroom, sleep in a room with other boys, do PE without a shirt, get bruised playing rugby, get told off, and certainly not to let a doctor check whether he has a hernia or is developing cancer of the testes, or risk him being a normal boy - and you can explain to him when he's a little older why he has developed into a total mothers boy wimp and is infertile and having to have aggressive treatment for cancer, all of which could have been prevented if you simply backed off and let him live a normal life.

[NVHusband]

I did not go to boarding school, but had my testicles examined by a GP when I was a teenager. Some boys "balls don't drop" properly, and is a legitimate medical issue.

It has nothing to do with boarding schools.

OP- your response highlights you are being a little precious and agree with some of the posters that maybe you shouldn't have a son at boarding school.

To the other commentators saying this is inappropriate, without knowing why it is done, and the fact it is done by a registered GP, shows the ignorance on social media.